Surface treating appliances such as vacuum cleaners and floor polishers are well known. The majority of vacuum cleaners are either of the ‘upright’ type or of the ‘cylinder’ type, called canister or barrel cleaners in some countries. An example of an upright vacuum cleaner manufactured by Dyson Limited is that sold under the name DC15 (“DC15” is a trade mark of Dyson Limited). DC15 comprises a main body, which houses the main components of the vacuum cleaner, including separating apparatus for separating dirt, dust and other debris from a dirty airflow drawn in by a motor-driven fan. A cleaner head is mounted to the lower end of the main body.
Also at the lower end of the main body is a support assembly in the form of a barrel-shaped roller. The roller permits the cleaner to be easily manoeuvred. In use, a user reclines the main body of the vacuum cleaner and then pushes and pulls a handle which is fixed to the main body of the cleaner. The vacuum cleaner rolls along the floor surface on the roller, and may be steered by the user twisting the handle about its longitudinal axis. This cleaner is much more manoeuvrable than previous cleaners employing wheels. Various components of the cleaner are mounted within the roller as a space-saving measure. The roller has a plurality of tires which are mechanically fixed to it and help to make the roller more hard wearing and easier to steer.
A problem which may be encountered with this support assembly is that the tire(s) may become disconnected from the roller.